Patio umbrella cooler apparatus

ABSTRACT

A leak proof patio table cooler unit adapted to receive ice, beverage containers, and that has a centrally located passageway in the cooler unit so that a patio umbrella mast can pass through the center of the cooler unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to the field of patio umbrellas andcoolers adapted for use with patio umbrella and table units.

2. Description of Prior Art

There are a variety of beverage coolers on the market that have beendesigned to work in conjunction with an umbrella, a grill, or otherrecreational utilities, however, none thus far have adequately addressedthe situation encountered by the user of a patio table not otherwisebuilt to receive a beverage cooler. For example, Samuel Patarra (U.S.Pat. No. 6,374,839) invented a portable cooler with an umbrella mountingmeans that is essentially a rectangular ice chest with numerousattachments to receive umbrellas, drinks, etc. Similarly, the Treppediice chest (U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,097), Sharp (U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,733),Karpinsiki (U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,244) and Kopmar (U.S. Pat. No.2,805,109) patents have suggested novel modifications of coolers andtables that work with picnic umbrellas. U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,570, also toPatarra, describes a portable umbrella/cooler unit, but that isstructurally and materially different from the present invention, whichis a separate cooler unit adapted to fit around commercially availablepatio furniture.

While all of the above references are good ideas and useful to theconsuming public, they do not address the problems solved by the presentinvention. Commercially available patio furniture is not typically soldwith built in beverage coolers, although the need is present and thefeature is desirable and not available to the public. Users of patiofurniture are generally using the patio furniture because to do so isrelaxing. Any additional expenditures of energy by the user tend todisrupt the leisurely enjoyment of the patio furniture. Also, it iscustomary for users of patio furniture to enjoy a beverage, or several,while lounging. However, it is both annoying and cumbersome for a userto be compelled to return to a kitchen or to get up from his or herpatio chair to bend over and open the top of most ice chest coolers toget a new beverage. The present invention solves the present leisurecrisis of commercially available patio furniture and enhances theconvenience of the user of patio furniture by providing a bucket styledcooler apparatus that is adapted to be used with most commerciallyavailable umbrella and patio table units. Further, the present inventionwill not obstruct typical uses of patio furniture table units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is the objective of the present invention to provide abeverage cooler that has an umbrella mast passageway and which device isadapted to rest on top of the user's patio table. The beverage cooler isadapted to fit most commercially available patio furniture, it does notleak, avoids condensation dripping, and optionally has a lid to maintaintemperature.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide apreferable embodiment that is insulated.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a coolermade from any of the group of materials which may include metal, sealedmetal, galvanized metal, plastic, plastic, polystyrene,plastic-polystyrene combinations, or collapsible and insulated fabricmaterials that are commonly known in the cooler industry.

It is a further object of the present invention to enhance convenienceand leisure of use to the user of patio furniture and to minimizeexpenditure of energy required to get a beverage.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a coolerthat is easy to install, inexpensive and of durable construction.

Other objectives of the invention will become apparent to those skilledin the art once the invention has been shown and described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The manner in which these objectives and other desirable characteristicscan be obtained is explained in the following description and attacheddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a person enjoying the benefits of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional view of the table cooler unit as it istypically used with a patio table and with an umbrella mast.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view of an optional embodiment of thecircular beverage cooler with a hinged lid unit.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate onlytypical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to beconsidered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to otherequally effective embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of patio table cooler unit (“coolerunit”) 4 as it typically appears when placed on a patio table 2 and usedin conjunction with an umbrella mast 1. The cooler unit 4 is adapted toreceive an umbrella mast 1 of a patio set umbrella through a mastpassageway 9 located at a midpoint of the cooler unit 4. When properlyused, the umbrella mast 1 will pass through the entire cooler unit 4 byway of the mast passageway 9 in much the same fashion as an axle wouldpass through a wheel. The mast passageway 9 is preferably defined by anoverall tubular shape and connects a top aperture 7 and a bottomaperture 8. The mast passageway 9 has an inside wall and an outsidewall, with the inside wall forming the guide for umbrella mast 1 as itpasses through mast passageway 9 of the cooler unit 4. The outside wallof mast passageway 9 forms one wall of the beverage receiving channel 16of the cooler unit 4. The bottom aperture 8 of mast passageway 9 alsoforms an aperture at a midpoint of cooler bottom 5, which is where anumbrella mast 1 finally passes through the mast passageway 9 and downthrough the patio table 2 at table aperture 3 to the base of a patiotable 2 where the umbrella mast 1 is typically secured. The coolerbottom 5 forms a preferable circular plane extending outward from andpreferably perpendicular to mast passageway 9. The cooler unit 4 ispreferably watertight as with the other surface interfaces of thepresent invention and as further described in this specification. Coolerbottom 5 extends outward on a horizontal plane from bottom aperture 8until it interfaces with cooler wall 6. Cooler wall 6 extends upwardfrom cooler bottom 5 and forms an outermost wall of the cooler unit 4.Also shown in FIG. 1 is the preferable embodiment of a drain 18, whichextends through the cooler wall 6 to permit drainage of melted ice orother liquids. This drain is selectively open or closed by the user andcan be as simple as a plug apparatus, or it may also take the form of aspigot, valve, tap, or faucet. Alternately the drain may be locatedthrough the cooler bottom 5. The drain is an important preferablefeature because it permits draining of the cooler unit 4 without theneed to remove the umbrella mast 1 from the patio table 2.

The overall preferable appearance of the cooler unit 4 is that of abucket, through the center of which passes an umbrella mast 1. Theumbrella passes through a defined mast passageway 9. The cooler unit 4is preferably open at its top so that ice and beverages may be loadedfrom the top into the unit. The user's preferable content, ice, beers,etc., is loaded into the beverage receiving channel 16, which is thespace inside the circular cooler unit 4. The beverage receiving channel16 form is defined by the cooler bottom 5, the cooler wall 6 (formingthe outermost wall of the cooler unit 4) and with the outer wall of mastpassageway 9 forming the inside wall of said beverage receiving channel16. The beverage receiving channel 16 is the part of the unit thatultimately holds ice, beverages, cold food, etc. In another preferreduse of the invention, a user may elect to fill the apparatus with drygoods, or even plants that may not require refrigeration.

The entire cooler unit apparatus is preferably of uniform constructionand may be cast in metal, molded in plastic form, polystyrene, machinedand welded, galvanized metal, or interfacing surfaces (e.g., coolerwall, cooler bottom, interior wall) are sealed with watertight resins orglues. Other preferable constructions include walls made from plasticreinforced polystyrene, and as used on most commercially available icechests. Yet another preferable material would be of more flexiblewatertight fabrics as are used on commercially available expandablecoolers. A typical example of this flexi fabric would be as used by theice chest product sold under Igloo® Soft 6™ mark, which has animpermeable nylon liner.

The cooler unit 4 has a preferable cooler bottom 5 of a diameter ofrange of six (6) to forty-eight (48) inches, to accommodate mostcommercially available patio furniture. A preferable diameter of boththe top aperture 7 and bottom aperture 8 would be in the range of one(1) inch to seven (7) inches in diameter. The height of the cooler unitwall 6, from the cooler bottom 5 to the maximum height would be in therange of two (2) inches to twenty-four (24) inches. This inventiondiscloses yet three (3) additional preferences wherein the mastpassageway may be either (1) of the same height of the cooler unit wall;(2) where the mast passageway 9 is taller that the maximum height of thecooler unit wall 6 and extends above the top of the cooler unit wall 6;and (3) a preference where the mast passageway 9 is less than themaximum height of the cooler unit wall 6. Each of these preferences aredesirable embodiments from the perspective of controlling leakage andcondensation from the cooler unit 4. It is further disclosed that themast passageway 9 could preferably extend in the range of zero (0) toeight (8) inches above the maximum cooler wall 6 height and could beless in the range of zero (0) to four (4) inches beneath the maximumheight of the cooler wall 6.

FIG. 2 provides a three-dimensional view of an optional embodiment ofthe present invention, with the additional novel feature to include thecooler unit 4 being a lid unit 13. This preferable two-piece lid unit isformed of a left lid 12 and a right lid 11, both of which are hingedlyattached at a lid hinge 14 on cooler wall 6. The left 12 and right lid11 units are defined by a cutaway 17 that is adapted to permit anumbrella mast to pass through cooler unit 4. The cutaway 17 of each sideof the lid unit 13 forms an aperture that is preferably at least thediameter of the top aperture 7, thereby permitting passage of anumbrella mast 1 through the cooler unit 4. This lid unit 13 ispreferably made from all the aforementioned materials that canpreferably be used to manufacture the cooler unit 4 described in FIG. 1.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate onlytypical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to beconsidered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to otherequally effective embodiments which will be recognized by thosereasonably skilled in this industry.

1. A table cooler unit comprising: (a) a centrally fixed mast passagewaywith a top aperture and a bottom aperture, said mast passageway adaptedto permit passage of an umbrella mast, (b) said cooler unit having abeverage receiving channel; (c) whereby said cooler unit sits centrallyupon a patio table despite the presence of an umbrella mast extendingdown through said table.
 2. The table cooler unit of claim 1 furthercomprising a drain.
 3. The table cooler unit of claim 1 wherein saidcooler unite features a cooler wall with handles permanently affixed tosaid cooler wall to permit easy carrying of said cooler unit.
 4. Thetable cooler unit of claim 1 formed from any of the groups of materialsconsisting of metal, plastic, polystyrene, galvanized metal, plasticreinforced polystyrene, or flexi-fabric featuring an impermeable nylonliner
 5. The table cooler unit of claim 1, wherein a cooler bottom has adiameter in the range of 6 to 48 inches to accommodate most commerciallyavailable patio furniture.
 6. The table cooler unit of claim 1, whereinsaid top aperture and bottom apertures are in the range of 1 to 7 inchesin diameter.
 7. The table cooler unit of claim 1, wherein the height ofa cooler unit wall from a cooler bottom to the maximum height is in therange of 2 inches to 24 inches.
 8. The table cooler unit of claim 1,wherein said mast passageway is the same height as a cooler unit wall.9. The table cooler unit of claim 1, wherein said mast passageway istaller that the maximum height of a cooler unit wall and extends abovethe top of said cooler unit wall.
 10. The table cooler unit of claim 1,wherein said mast passageway is less than the maximum height of a coolerunit wall.
 11. A table cooler unit comprising: (a) a centrally fixedmast passageway with a top aperture and a bottom aperture, said mastpassageway adapted to permit passage of an umbrella mast, (b) saidcooler unit having a beverage receiving channel; and, (c) a lid unit.12. The table cooler unit of claim 11 further comprising a lid unitfeaturing a left lid and a right lid hingedly connected to said coolerunit.
 13. The table cooler unit of claim 11 further comprising a drain.14. The table cooler unit of claim 11 wherein a cooler wall featureshandles permanently affixed to said cooler wall to permit easy carryingof said cooler unit.
 15. The table unit of claim 11 wherein said coolerwall is formed from any of the groups of materials consisting of metal,plastic, polystyrene, galvanized metal, plastic reinforced polystyrene,or flexi-fabric featuring an impermeable nylon liner
 16. The tablecooler unit of claim 11, wherein a cooler bottom has a diameter in therange of 6 to 48 inches to accommodate most commercially available patiofurniture.
 17. The table cooler unit of claim 11, wherein said topaperture and bottom apertures is in the range of 1 to 7 inches indiameter.
 18. The table cooler unit of claim 11, wherein the height of acooler unit wall from a cooler bottom to the maximum height is in therange of 2 inches to 24 inches.
 19. The table cooler unit of claim 11,wherein said mast passageway is the same height as a cooler unit wall.20. The table cooler unit of claim 11, wherein the mast passageway istaller that the maximum height of the cooler unit wall and extends abovethe top of the cooler unit wall.